Elastic properties of aorta with respect to its dilatation vs aneurysm according to ECG-synchronized CT-angiography

Abstract

Purpose: to compare the indicators of elasticity of the thoracic aorta, determined by ECG-Gated-CT angiography, in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm and dilatation.Materials and methods. The study included 20 patients with dilatation of the ascending aorta (40 mm ≤ maximum aortic diameter (Dmax) < 50 mm) (group 1a), 30 patients with non-syndromic aneurysms of the ascending aorta (n = 30, Dmax ≥ 50 mm) (group 1b), as well as 19 patients with normal aortic sizes (Dmax < 40 mm) as controls (group 2). All patients underwent multispiral computed tomography angiography of the aorta in ECG-Gated mode (ECG-Gated -CT). Maximum systolic and diastolic aortic diameters (Dmax) were measured at different levels of the thoracic aorta, followed by calculation of the difference between them and calculation of the circular deformation (CS), compliance, stiffness (Stiff), wall distensibility, longitudinal deformation (LS).Results. Moderate negative correlation between the age of the patients and CS at all levels of the thoracic aorta (rmaximum = –0.33, rminimum = –0.41) was revealed. Groups 1a and 1b did not differ significantly in all parameters. Group 1a differed from the control group (p < 0.05) in Stiff at the level of the aortic annulus (AA) (0.07 [–0.14; 0.15] vs –0.04 [–0.1; 0.06]), as well as CS at the level of AA and sinuses of Valsalva (SV ) (0.49 [–2.94; 3.36] vs –1.18 [–4.51; 3.87]), and group 1b – in CS at the level of SV (3.73 [0.24; 6.56] vs 0.13 [–1.42; 3.04]) and proximal part of the descending aorta (distal to the left subclavian artery) (5.48 [1.27; 8.40] vs 1.97 [–0.32; 6.08]), also in LS (5.96 [–8.98; 9.25] vs –2.58 [–7.75; 1.89]) at the level of the aortic arch.Conclusion. According to ECG-Gated-CT angiography, the indicators of elasticity of the thoracic aorta in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm and dilatation did not differ. Compared with the control group, patients with aneurysm of the ascending aorta showed an increased pulse deformity of the non-dilated aortic arch.